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So, for a reasonably detailed version of my magic system, go here. Because I'm pretty sure no-one went there, it says,

Brief Overview of Magic

These powers manifest themselves any time from birth to the end of puberty. These magical powers fall under seven broad categories. Air, water, earth, plasma (fire/lightning), plants, light, and animals. Animal magic is tricky, because living things resist magic. But, many animal mages can influence animals, and some can control dead animals (this is called necromancy and is a big societal no-no.) The strength and scope of magic varies from individual to individual. But, these are the most common in order. Earth, water, air, plants, animals, plasma, and light.

These magical capabilities are like the show Avatar, the Last Airbender, in how controlling magic works. However, in my book magic is much less powerful. For instance, an earth Mage may only be able to influence as much dirt as they could lift, and lifting this dirt would take about as much energy as doing it by hand, except you don't have to touch it, and it could be a perfect brick shape. No force is exerted in separating the dirt or material from other similar material attached to it. So if you were to pull this rock in two, that would take little effort, other than the force of pushing the pieces apart.

Magic is like a muscle that is really hard to develop.

The level of magic described above is only about 75% of magic users. Everyone else is more powerful.The strongest people can do things like shoot lasers, uproot trees, be human flame throwers, make zombie hordes, create small tornadoes, cause rovers to overflow or to break dams, or cause small earthquakes. This is about 7% of the population. Everyone else is in between.

My Question

So, in my world, depending on where you live, you attend school for about eight years. You graduate at 12-16 years old. Most people then proceed to get an apprenticeship or learn a trade. The time period is not specified, but it is probably comparable to the 18th century. However, any time between 1750-1875 would probably be fine.

Given the specified time period, and that a lot of society is fueled by magic, what subjects would be taught in school? Assume that a lot more people have access to these schools, and that magic is taught a lot more after graduation.

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Xandar The Zenon
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  • Hmm, if the only difference we're postulating is the existence of magic, then: Students take classes in various branches of magic, or magic is added to the curriculum of other classes. Maybe technology as we know it is unknown or less important, so there is less or no chemistry, physics, etc. I'm not sure what else one could say. – Jay Jan 20 '16 at 05:26
  • In that time periods, in many countries, school and education were limited to only a certain portion of the population. And some of that portion had private tutors. But your question seem to imply a system more like today's (at least as far as western countries are concerned). – clem steredenn Jan 20 '16 at 07:53
  • It's a little bit complicated of a situation. The technology is that time period, but magic has elevated society to a more modern period. – Xandar The Zenon Jan 20 '16 at 13:48
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    One notable effect is that there would be so many more things for helicopter parents and nervous nellies to be afraid of. Talismans would be banned with zero tolerance for violations, students would have to walk through a manna detector to enter the building, and little Johnny would be arrested for pretending his popsicle stick was magic wand. – A. I. Breveleri Jan 20 '16 at 18:06
  • Oh my fliggerwabs. Did anyone read the link I provided? http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/33507/how-might-castles-develop-in-magical-world Talks about my magic system. – Xandar The Zenon Jan 20 '16 at 18:49
  • Does nearly everybody develop magic at some point, or is it more uncommon? From your description I'm inferring the former. – Monica Cellio Jan 21 '16 at 02:39
  • @Monica Cellio The former. Nearly everyone develops magic. Those others are seen as lesser people. Here are some resources. http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/33147/if-people-had-magic-powers-how-would-it-affect-slavery – Xandar The Zenon Jan 21 '16 at 04:27
  • Reading The Kingkiller Chronicles might provide inspiration. Sympathy magic is much like you describe yours as. – Daenyth Mar 03 '16 at 13:04

3 Answers3

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So, Magic is a natural part of your society? Then it might be handled as easy as we do it with science topics this day.

Small kids will learn "how not to burn your house down" probably by their parents, "how to use it without roasting your other students" in school and "how to use it to burn down a house and roast other people" in the battlemages university.

It would be the same as it is with potential dangerous stuff today: don't mess around with fire, when we are young, how to separate H and O from Water and making it pop in School, and for people which do show signs of potential in that specific area there are many ways to use this, from creating pyrotechnic, over controlled destruction of buildings, up to creation of new burning agents for weapon usage in war.

So these who are talented would be reported by the teachers to... whatever authority could be interested in that. Find out what the kids are good at and try to put them somewhere your group of interests would be happy about. Expect teachers, who do it the government-way and sending talented flamers to an institution where they can benefit their country by... well... burning down something.

These who do show more talent than common folk in an area of magic may get access to special universities, where they dedicate themselves to ridiculous magic science. These are the guys which shoot fireballs at volunteers which happen to wear experimental protective gear. So expect five mages with lists which do make notes, one who runs in circles screaming because the protective gear didn't work, one who is standing around looking sad because he was the one who shot the fireball, one fire department mage that is trying to put out the flames, at least one magic nurse who will try to fix that burning guy and about fourty students standing behind a marking observing the scene with their mouth wide open. Its science! Well, you could invoke circumstances that are more professional than these at the Unseen University in Ankh-Morpok, but that would be boring.

Rich people would stuff their heirs into exclusive colleges (yes, like that one where they play Quidditch) to get more exclusive teaching in the art of magic. These who excel there will someday become archmage of such a school or get other well paid positions.

Then there are these guys which don't had access to a proper school. Either you have that guy who becomes the greatest mage off all time by himself, or you have those kids ending up in more shady groups, which may use talents detected for less lawful stuff when grown up. In that case you should put the more motivated but less gifted kids from the lawful end of societies spectrum into some kind of magic police. Have your Inspektor Average Magic Joe beating absurd powerful shadow mages by using his brains (or the horse of his partners after getting suspended from job) could be a fine plot point, if you are into such things.

Well... after all, things will not go to fancy when magic is a part of you world that did exists as long as people can remember. It would become something common that isn't handled in any fancy way. Just install 1800 A.D. societies and put magic inside like its something the kids do as soon as they can talk. Darn, I won't thing there could be any insurance company that is making any profit...

That's how I think magic stuff might be handled in such a society. But as I always say: look into computer games where magic is more common. There where a lot of (more or less) creative heads, who did the worldbuilding way before you. Skyrim might not be the best reference, Dragon Age... maybe (they do have an anti-magic-templar force to keep these giftet ones at bay)... if I remember a good example, I will add it if needed.

Vincent
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Confused Merlin
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  • I like your answer for different reasons. Objective and sensible. – Xandar The Zenon Jan 20 '16 at 14:30
  • 1 for basically what childhood is: You're taught everyday up to a certain age to do/don't do something, then the instant you reach a specific age, you're told to do the exact opposite the rest of your life ;P
    • – The Darke Lorde May 12 '21 at 16:54